


the world burns

by 1001cranes



Category: Everworld Series - K. A. Applegate
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-02
Updated: 2011-08-02
Packaged: 2017-10-22 02:56:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/232992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1001cranes/pseuds/1001cranes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jalil was too smart for this to end any way but a massacre.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the world burns

"What?" Christopher asks, and makes a face at Jalil's back. Smartass. "You're going to get them with Anthrax?"

"Actually," Jalil says, "Actually, I was thinking measles."

| |

In a war it doesn't matter if it's arrows or atom bombs, swords or axes, smallpox. Dead is dead. The side left standing is the one who wins. Jalil was vaccinated in kindergarten, just like everyone --

Well. Everyone from the Old World, anyway.

| |

Jalil starts muttering to himself, "Sorbitol -- I need glucose, but I can get that from starch. Glycerin. Coal tar."

"Coal tar?"

"There's a phenol-a compound I can get by distilling it," Jalil says distractedly. "Calf skins."

"Calf skins?"

"For the vesicle fluid."

"Ew."

"And I'm going to need a lab, or an approximation of one. Time. Test subjects."

David frowns. "Bodies."

"Probably." Jalil gives David a sideways, slanted look. "But that isn't much different from right now."

Behind them, Loki made a chuffing sound that might have been a laugh. "This is... magic?"

"No," Jalil says shortly. "It's science." Good thing he'd never gotten as far as taking the Hippocratic Oath.

"Don't worry," Christopher says cheerfully, and pats Loki on the shoulder. Loki looks as though his first instinct were to chop it off and feed it to Fenrir. "It'll work like a charm anyway."

David rolls his eyes.

Loki gives them all a strange look, but doesn't say anything more. "I'll give the little one what he needs, if you won't."

David barely pauses. "Equal number of Viking and Greek participants unless it proves more or less fatal. He can borrow one of Archimedes' labs."

"I'll have Baldr slaughter some calves, then. I'm sure the dwarves would be more than happy to help you with the... coal tar."

| |

"Remind me never to piss you off," Christopher says finally.

Jalil smiles into the bedcover. It smells like sweat, human musk, and the lavender the maids sprinkle on it between washings. It makes Jalil itch to think about it, but a good itch. One he doesn't have to do anything about. "Too late, Hitchcock."

"I'm talking anthrax in my cornflakes pissed off."

"If I ever bring you a bowl of cornflakes, you start to worry."

"Beware blacks bearing cornflakes. Gotcha."

Jalil is too tired to be insulted. The windows are shit at keeping the smoke outside, and burnt flesh does nothing for him. "Stop talking," he says, and grasps half-heartedly at the back of Christopher's shirt. "Are you staying?"

Christopher grunts some kind of agreement and scoots closer. "My room's even more downwind."

Yes, then.

"You know," Christopher considers idly. "I think Loki was kind of impressed. Which is... really scary, come to think about it. I don't think I ever want Loki to be impressed with me. Ever."

"Christopher, seriously."

"Should I be shutting up?"

"How do you feel about Anthrax?"

Christopher shuts up.

|||


End file.
